Blood in Urine

Key facts

Blood in your urine (pee) is not usually caused by anything serious, but the NHS says it must always be checked by a GP — even once, even a small amount, even with no other symptoms — because it can be a sign of cancer, which is easier to treat early.

Most often affects:People with a urinary tract infectionPeople with kidney stonesMen over 50, when the prostate is enlarged

What commonly causes blood in urine

• A urinary tract infection (UTI) — often with burning when you pee, needing to pee often, smelly or cloudy pee, a high temperature, or pain in your sides or lower back
• Kidney stones — often with bad pain in your sides, lower back or groin that comes and goes, being unable to lie still, and feeling sick
• An enlarged prostate, common in men over 50 — often with difficulty peeing, needing to pee suddenly and often, and waking in the night to pee
• Cancer. This is why the NHS says it must always be checked: it is easier to treat if found early
• Sometimes it is not blood: beetroot can turn pee pink, some new medicines turn it red or brown, and bleeding from your bottom or a period can be mistaken for it. If you are not sure, get it checked anyway

What helps at home

• There is no home treatment for this. The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment, or use NHS 111, if you have blood in your pee
• That applies even if it is the first time, there is only a small amount, you have no other symptoms, or you are not sure it is blood
• Do not try to work out the cause yourself from other symptoms — the NHS says see a GP if you think it is blood

When to get help

These three levels are different. Getting the level right is the single most useful thing this page can do for you.

Questions people ask about blood in urine